Combination beverage and meat case



Nov. 18, 1952 l.. WALKER COMBINATION BEVERAGE AND MEAT CASE Filed Feb. l, 1950 ATTD RN EYE c IIIIII Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a refrigerated display case, and more particularly to a case for holding beverages to be cooled and fresh meats therein.

The object of the invention is to provide a refrigerated case which includes a lower compartment for holding beverages to be cooled and an upper compartment for holding fresh meats, the upper compartment being constructed whereby prospective purchasers can readily observe the meats through a transparent member or window, there being sliding doors for readily gaining access to each of these compartments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerated case that is especially suitable for small retail stores, since the same case can -be used for simultaneously holding fresh meats and beverages, the meats being sanitarily stored in a separate compartment from the beverages.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined case for beverages and meats which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the refrigerated case constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational of the case with parts broken away and in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper body member for holding the meats, and with parts thereof broken away and in section.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I designates a hollow housing which may be fabricated of any suitable material. The housing I0 includes a horizontally disposed bottom wall II and a vertically disposed back wall I2. Arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to the back wall I2 and projecting upwardly from the bottom Wall II is a vertically disposed front Wall I3 which is of greater height than the back wall I2. Extending between the front and back walls and secured thereto is a pair of vertically disposed spaced parallel side walls I4 and I5. Each of these Walls is provided with the usual insulation I6 therein which serves to facilitate the job of keeping the refrigerator case cold.

The side walls, front and back walls and bottom wall of the housing I0 have a lining I8 arranged contiguous to the inner surfaces thereof, the lining I3 being fabricated of any suitable material and serving to maintain the insulation I6 in its proper position. The bottom of the lining I8 is tapered, as best seen in Figure 3, and a drainage opening I9 is provided in the tapered bottom of the lining I8 for the egress therethrough of waste water. The walls of the housing Ill coact to define a lower compartment 20 which has positioned therein a plurality of partitions 2| for holding therebetween bottles of soft drinks, beer or other beverages. Suitable cooling coils 22 are arranged contiguous to back wall I2 so as to insure that bottles of beverages in the compartment 20 will be cooled to the proper temperature.

For gaining access to the bottles of beverages in the compartment 20, a plurality of sliding doors 25, 26 and 21 are provided. These sliding doors are each provided with recesses 28 which are adapted to be gripped or engaged `by the hand or fingers of the clerk or store owner,l whereby the doors can be moved to their open. position when the bottles of beverages are toy be sold. Normally, the -doors 25, 2B and 21 aref in the position shown in Figure 1, and when the doors are in this position they are serving to close an elongated opening 24 that is arranged in an inclined frame 23. The frame 23 serves to slidably support the doors 25, 26 and 21. The lower end of the frame 23 is secured to the upper end of the back wall I2 in any suitable manner, while the upper end of the frame 23 is spaced from the front wall I3 for a purpose to be later described.

'Ihe case of the present invention further includes a body member 29 that includes a compartment 3|l for holding fresh meats and the like therein. Also, the body member 29 includes a hollow casing 3| provided with an inclined or tapered bottom wall 32. A drainage opening 33 is provided in the bottom wall 32 through which water of condensation and the like will drain and will eventually pass out through the opening I9. The casing 3| projects through the space dened between the upper end of the frame 23 and the front wall I3, and the casing 3| projects down into the upper end of the housing I0. Thus, the body member 29 is securely anchored in place on top of the housing I0. Suitable cooling coils 3d are arranged in the housing I0 contiguous to the bottom of the casing 3| so as to insure that the meats in the compartment 30 are maintained 3 at their proper temperature. The body member 29 further includes a vertically disposed back support or member 35 which is provided with elongated openings 36. For normally closing the openings 36, a plurality of sliding doors 31 are slidably mounted in the back supportl 35. Thus, when the clerk or other person desires to gain access to the meat in the compartment 30, the doors 31 can be manually moved or slid, Whereupon the meats can be removed from'V the cornpartment 30 through the openings 36. For supporting the meats in the compartment 3E, a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars 38 are arranged just above the casing 3l. If desired, suitable trays can be supported on the rackbars 38 for supporting the meats, cheese or other such articles of food. An inclined window 39. extends longitudinally across the front of the body. member 29 and since the window 39 is of transparent material, the prospective'purchasers of the meats can readily observe thefmeats in the compartment 30beiore deciding on their choice;

From the foregoing, itis apparent that a coinbinedA case for holding both beverages, such as soft drinks, beer and the like, aswell asfresh meats, has been provided; The bottles of beverages can be conveniently positioned between partitions 2l which are arranged in the compartmentv 2i?" in the housing l0, and these bottles of beverages will be cooled by the coils 22. When theclerky or store owner desires to removeany or these bottles from the4 case, thez doors ltcan be slidopen or the doors 25er 21 can be moved, Whereuponthe desired-number of bottles of beverages'can be removed-and soldto-the purchaser. Also, the case ofthe presentinvention includes the compartment 3o which serves to' provide a storage compartment for fresh meats and the like; The transparent member 39 enables the prospectivepurchasers Vto View'the` meats and decide which'cutsthey desire, and then the clerlor otherpersoncan readily gain access` to the meats in the compartment 3i? by moving the proper doors 312 v Iii-desired; the body member can be' attached to the topY of? a beverage container that is being used `in a small retail store, since the parts thereof are ,constructed with such' aA modication in mind. The case of the present inventionisconstructed so thatthe cus-ton'riersg sidethereofinf cludesa glasswindov'v 391whichper-mits theecustomer to View thermeat before the pnrclfiaseth'ei'el of; Thev caseis especially suitablefora-small storev owner who might not' be able 'toaordl to buya separatecase'for` displaying meatsasfwfellf as beverages. Also, by. having the meats and beverages in separate compartments, there-will-` be no conflict with any State regulations or laws which require that such items be maintained in separate compartments,

I claim:

1. In a rerigerating case-a` hollow housing including a` horizontallyv disposed bottom Wall; a vertically disposed back wall, avertically dise aelaias posed front wall of greater height than said back wall, a pair of spaced parallel vertically disposed side walls coacting with said front, back and bottom walls to denne a bottle holding compartment, there being a drainage opening in said bottom wall, cooling coils arranged in said back wall, an inclined frame projecting from the upper end of said back wall and having its upper end spaced from said front wall, a plurality of. sliding doors carried by said frame and permitting access to said beverage holding compartment, a body member including a hollow casing projecting through the space between said frame and front Wall and extending into said housing, said casing including a sloping bottom wall provided with a drainage opening, cooling coils arranged in said housing contiguous to said casing, a plurality of horizontally disposed rack bars arranged in said body member for supporting meat thereon, a vertically disposed back member supported on said casing, sliding doors carried by said back member, and an inclined window extending across the front of said body member.

2. In a refrigerating case,Y a hollow housing including a bottom wall, a backwall, a front wall of greater height than said back wall, a pair of vertically disposed side walls coactin'gv with said front,back' and bottom walls' to denne a bottleholding compartment, there being a drainage opening in the bottom Wall, coolingl coils arranged in said back wail, an inclined frame projecting from the upper end of said'backwall and having its upper end spaced from said' front wall, a plurality of sliding doors carried by Saidi frame and permitting access to said beverage-holding compartment, a body member'including a; hollow casing projecting through the space between said frame and front wall and. extending into said housing, said casing includingV a sloping' bottom wallprovided with a drainage opening, a plurality of horizontally disposed rack bars arranged in said body member for supporting meat thereon, a back member supported on said casing, sliding doors carried' by said back member, and an incl-inedV window -extending' across the front of said body member. Y

' LARRY WALKER REFERENCES' CITED The following references are of record. in: the file of this patent: y Y

UNITEDA sTArEs; PATENT-ss Y 

